**Riyadh, Saudi Arabia** – In a powerful address during a joint extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accused Israel of committing “collective genocide” against the Palestinian people in Gaza. This marks one of his strongest criticisms of Israel since the onset of the conflict last year.
Addressing leaders from Islamic nations gathered in Riyadh, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, commonly referred to as MBS, stated, “The Kingdom reiterates its condemnation and absolute refusal of the collective genocide committed by Israel against the brotherly Palestinian people.”
In a notable shift, MBS also expressed support for Iran, contrasting sharply with his previous comments in 2017, where he had likened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Adolf Hitler. The crown prince called on the international community to “compel Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty and not to attack (Iranian) territories.”
Saudi Arabia has recently taken a more active political stance and made policy adjustments in favor of the Palestinian cause. Although the kingdom was previously negotiating a historic normalization agreement with Israel, it has since declared that such discussions are “off the table” without the establishment of a Palestinian state, a demand that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected.
The Riyadh conference also featured attendance from Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, who mourned the deaths of key figures including Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. Despite this, Saudi Arabia has consistently opposed Iran-backed militias like Hezbollah and Hamas.
Last year, Saudi Arabia and Iran mended ties after decades of hostility over regional influence. The high-level meeting also included prominent leaders such as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were also present, despite ongoing tensions related to Turkey’s military actions in northern Syria and its support for rebel factions.
The primary aim of the summit, as stated by Saudi government officials, was to “unify positions” and “exert pressure” on the international community to take decisive action to halt the “ongoing attacks” and foster lasting peace in the region.